stevens



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. BMSTEVENSI GENTRIFUGAL MACHINE. No. 292,705.- -Pa,te n ted Jan. 29,1884.

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wmwm jifmvzeys 'U'NirE S AT-Es PATENT primes.

HENRY B. STEVENS, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE L.

SQUIER, or SAME PLACE.

CENTRIFUGIAL MACIHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,705, datedJanuary29, 1884.

Application filed June 28,1883. (No modeld To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. STEVENS, of the city of Buffalo, in thecounty of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Centrifugal Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of centrifugalmachines which are employed for separating molasses from sugar and forsimilar purposes, and which consist, essentially, of a: perforatedbasket, which is attached to a vertical spindle and rotated at a highspeed in a casing, by which the liquid is collected which is ejectedthrough the perforations of the casing by the centrifugal force.

The object of my invention is to produce a, simple, strong, and durablemachine of this kind, which can be operated with safety at a high speed,and in which the basket will balance itself on the revolving spindle,and which can be manipulated with ease and convenience.

My invention consists to these ends of the improvements in theconstruction of the machine, which will be hereinafter fully set forth,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is asectional elevation of a centrifugal machine provided'with myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section in line 00 00,'F1'g. 1. Fig. 4c is a vertical sectionon an enlarged scale of the upper end of the spindle and the centralportion of the basket hung on the same. Fig. 5 is a cross-section onan'enlarged scale, showing the fastening whereby the rim is secured tothe upper edge of the basket. Fig. 6 is atop plan view thereof, and Fig.7 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 5.

Like letters of reference refer to. like parts in the several figures.

A represents the base-frame of the machine, composed of a suitablenumber of horizontal radial arms, a, three being shown, and provided atthe center with a step-bearing, b.

B represents the casing supported by standards 0, cast on the arms ofthe base-frame.

D represents the vertical spindle, provided at its lower end with astep, d, turning in the bearing 12, and near its upper end with ajournal, e, which turns in a bearing, 6, formed on the inner portion ofthe casing B. The latter is curved first downwardly and outwardly fromthe journal 6, and then upwardly and outwardly to theinwardly-projecting top rim, F. This dished form of the casing impartsgreat Strength to the same and facilitates the draining of the liquidthrough the discharge:

spout f. v G represents the basket, having a peripheral wall, 9,constructed of wire-gauze orperforated sheet metal. I

9 represents the bottom plate of the basket, and H a hollow conical hubformed centrally on the bottom plate and extending over the upper .endof the Spindle D. The latter terminates in aspherical knuckle, h, andthe upper portion of the conical hub His constructed with a sphericalsocket, 6, whereby the hub H rests on the knuckle h. hubH is made solarge that it will permit the oscillating movement of the basket on thespindle,which occurs when the machine is set in motion as thebasketbalances itself. The

knuckle h is provided in its upper side with a slot, j, in which engagesa bolt or pin, is, ex

tending horizontally through the socket 1', so that the rotation of thespindle D will cause the basket to rotate, while the latter is at thesame time free to oscillate on the upper end of the spindle in balancingitself. The hub H is provided with a ring, Z, by means of which thebasket'ean be lifted from the spindle when another basket is to besubstituted for the same. 1

The cavity of themare vertical wings or blades, which surround theperforated wall g of the basket, and

serve to sustain said wall against the outward pressure of the materialcontained in the basket. These wings are cast in onepiece with thebottom of the basket, so that the body of the basket can be cast in onepiece and be turned off on a lathe, thereby producing a strong and truebasket in a very simple manner and at comparatively small expense. Thewings m are arranged at an angle to the radial line, so as to give anoutward draft to the air and liquid passing from the basket through thespaces between'the wings,whereby the centrifugal effect of the basket isconsiderably increased. The joints between the several sections orplates of which the basket is composed are made diagonal or oblique, asrepresented in Fig. 1, so that the edge of the perforated plate orsection intersects the vertical plane in which the centrifugal forceworks, whereby the pressure is applied gradually to each joint, and theliability of bursting greatly reduced. Each oblique joint is secured toseveral wings, m, whereby a strong connection of the perforated wallwith the cast body is secured.

n represents a ring, which connects the upper ends of the wings m, andis cast in one piece with the same.

X represents an inward]y-projecting rim, which is removably secured tothe ring a, so that it can be taken off for the purpose of facilitatingthe removalof the solid material from the basket. As shown in Figs. 5,6, and 7 the ring a is provided with elongated openings 0, madeconcentric with the basket, and the rim N is constructed on itsunderside with hooks 1), adapted to pass through the openings 0, andopening backwardly with reference to the direction in which the basketrotates, so that upon passing the hooks 1; through the openings 0 andturning the rim N baekwardly on the ring a the hooks 12 will engageunder the solid portion of the ring 41, and lock the rim N on thelatter. By a movement of the rim N in the opposite direction it isdisconnected from the ring 11. The basket is suspended on the upper endof the spindle and has the requisite freedom of movement to oscillate011 the spindle when the machine is started until the basket hasbalanced itself, when the oscillations of the basket cease. The basketis thereby enabled to balance itself with reference to any unequaldistribution of the material of which the basket is composed, and alsowith reference to any unequal distribution of the charge placed in thebasket. hen the charge has been freed from the liquid, the basket isreadily lifted from the spindle and another basket previously chargedwith material to be drained is placed on the spindle. The strongconstruction of the basket and its capability of balancing itself permitthe basket to be rotated at very high speed with safety.

A universal joint composed of two pivoted connections arranged at rightangles to each other may be substituted for the ball-andsocket joint atthe upper end of the spindle, if desired.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with a vertical spindle,

of a basket supported loosely upon the upper end of the spindle andadapted to balance itself upon the same, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a vertical spindle, of a basket constructedwith a central hollow cone or chamber, H, supported loosely upon theupper end of the spindle, substantially as set forth.

- 3. The combination, with avertical spindle, of a basket and aball-and-socket joint whereby the basket is supported on the upper endof the spindle, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with avertical spindle having a slotted sphericalknuckle, h, of a basket constructed with a spherical socket, '0 and abolt, 7., extending through said socket, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a vertical spindle having a spherical knuckle,h, of a basket constructed with a central hollow cone, H, a sphericalsocket, '5, formed in the upper end of the cone, and means whereby thebasket is rotated from the spindle, substantially as set forth.

6. A basket constructed with a perforated or foraniinouscylindricalwa-ll, and supporting wings or blades arranged on the outerside of said wall, substantially as set forth.

7. In a basket, the combination of a bottom plate, g, and upright wingsor blades m, cast on said bottom plate,with a perforated or foraminouscylindrical wall resting against the inner edges of said wings,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, in abasket, of upright wings or blades m, and acylindrical perforated or foraminous wallcomposcd of sections havingoblique edges each secured to a number of said wings or blades,substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with a basket having a top ring, 12, provided withelongated openings 0, of a detachable rim, N, constructed with hooks p,substantially as set forth.

10. The-combination,with arevolvin g basket, of a casing, B, having araised inner wall surrounding the spindle, and a raised outer wallsurrounding the basket, standards 0, and a base frame, A, provided witha central step for the spindle, all cast in one piece, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a centrifugal machine, a basket having the joint in itsperforated wall formed (liagonally or obliquely, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

H. B. STEVENS.

lVitnesses:

CHAS. F. Gnrnn, Trnzo. L. Porr.

